Page 36 - BHTA 100 years

Mail Order worries, powerchair proposal, Code comments...
The marketplace was developing rapidly in the early 80’s but not everyone was happy with the way that it was going. A complaint was received from a company in 1984 in which the selling of wheelchairs and walking aids to the public by mail order was described as being ‘unfortunate’. The company concerned had drafted a press release condemning the provision of these products by mail order and asked that BSTA issue it in the name of the Association. It was suggested by Council that it be referred to the Rehabilitation Aids Section.
It seems that the Section did not support the proposal to issue the press release, but chose to write to the company which had been advertising the products through mail order, to point out the hazards involved.
In early 1985 the rst meeting took place with a group of powered wheelchair suppliers to explore the feasibility of establishing
a new BSTA Section, primarily to represent
the interests of those companies supplying
wheelchairs through the Motability scheme. By May of that year, there was a formal request for a new Section, with the potential for around 10 new member companies.
In a report to Council in 1985, David Boxen, on behalf of the new Section, suggested that the UK market for powered ‘pavement vehicles’ stood at around 8,000 units a year. He con rmed that it had been the need to secure improvements in the terms for Motability sales that had initially brought the mobility product manufacturers together and then recognise that a new Section of BSTA would be an option.
Memories from...
“Julian Cobbledick
I went to my rst BSTA (mobility)
section meeting in 1986.
The primary topic of dialogue was Motability, which was the dragon-to- slay of the time. It struck me that the meetings were always better attended and more lively when the industry sector had a common purpose ” like this.
BHTA 100 years